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PolicyVoice SCOTLAND OFFICIAL RESPONSE 884: Scottish Free School Meals Campaign (2005)
Date: 12.10.05
Voice Scotland Official Response to consultation by Scottish Parliament
Source: pat.org.uk
Voice OFFICIAL RESPONSE 884
SUBJECT: Scottish Free School Meals Campaign
REQUESTED BY: The Scottish Parliament
DATE SENT: 12 October 2005 REF: OR. 884
This response is made on behalf of, and in consultation with, the Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) of the Professional Association of Teachers in Scotland (Voice). SEC determines Association Policy with regard to pay, conditions, and all other educational matters in Scotland.
Question 1
(a) The main proposal of the Free School Meals (Scotland) Bill is to provide free school meals to all Scottish children in state primary schools. Do you support this extension?
Answer - YES
(b) If yes why do you favour this?
The proposals go some way towards promoting a healthy lifestyle by ensuring at least one well-balanced meal per day, as part of a constant reinforcement of the health benefits of a good diet.
Question 2
(a) As well as extending entitlement to free school meals to all primary school children the Bill would also give powers to Scottish Ministers to further extend provision to older children. On what grounds would you favour extension to older children. (please tick all the options which you would support)
(i) Geography (eg schools within areas of social deprivation of particular local authorities) X
(ii) Age -
(iii) Pilot schemes (individual or groups of schools chosen to test the effects of free school meal provisions on health, attendance, attainment etc). -
(b) Why do you favour extension on these grounds?
Areas of social deprivation suffer such no matter what the age of the child, an holistic view of the unhealthy living problem in these areas is required with all relevant bodies working together.
Question 3
The Bill would give free school meals to all primary school children in state schools but if Ministers chose to further extend provision to older children who would you support gaining entitlement?
(i) All children in state schools up to the Minimum School Leaving Age at 16 years of age -
(ii) All children in state schools up to a certain age. If Yes what age? ___ years of age. -
(iii) All children attending state secondary schools? YES
(iv) Other age you think appropriate (Please state what age) -
Question 4
(a) At the time of the "Hungry for Success" report Scottish Ministers introduced measures to eliminate children experiencing stigma when they took free school meals. In your personal or professional experience do you believe that stigma still exists for those claiming free meals?
Answer ? NO.
(b) If yes. How can stigma best be eliminated?
If every child is having a free meal, the stigma disappears. The Fruit+ Initiative was widely and positively recognised and accepted.
Question 5
Do you think that the advertising of junk food and fizzy/sugary drinks in schools should be regulated and effectively banned?
Answer ? YES.
Question 6
Do you think that vending machines dispensing unhealthy foods should be regulated and effectively banned from school premises? Answer ? YES
Question 7
The Bill will require Scottish Ministers to set nutritional standards for school meals. Which existing set of standards do you think they should be based on:
(i) Caroline Walker Trust -
(ii) Food Standards Agency X
(iii) Other (Please state which and your reasons) -
Question 8
Who do you think should be ultimately responsible for dealing with complaints about the nutritional quality of school meals?
(i) Local authorities X
(ii) Individual schools -
(iii)The Schools Inspectorate -
(iv) Someone else (please state who) -
Question 9
How would you encourage children to eat healthier food?
Hard hitting promotional events slickly presented to promote the benefits of a healthy diet to counter the business orientated media promotions of unhealthy options.
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